May 2018

This week we have witnessed that SMYS Nurses take care of themselves on the SMYS Cruise, take care of others around the world with Medical Mission trips, take care of our own by providing tranquility in Las Vegas in times of tragedy, and that is not even the end of how SMYS Nurses, and other members, rise to the challenge of giving of ourselves in times of need.

This past year Hurricane Harvey struck the gulf coast, causing massive destruction to homes and infrastructure, leaving many homeless, without resources and care. Hurricane Harvey caused $125 billion in damage and displaced 30,000 people. The flooding in Houston and other areas of the Gulf Coast was devastating and required harrowing evacuations, but when the storm settled, and people needed to return to what was left of their homes, the devastation of what happened became more and more evident.

SMYS members on the ground were able to quickly mobilize and arrived in the shelters to organize and coordinate supplies and other needs, being able to get there in the days and hours before groups like the Red Cross were able to deploy. SMYS members online, in addition to sending supplies, partnered with Physician Moms Group to raise $12,000 to help rebuild infrastructure for some of the area schools. Once again the Nation of Nurses rose to the challenge of helping those in need when disaster struck.

Not only does the Nation of Nurses rise to the challenge when disaster strikes the country, but they rise to the challenge when personal disasters strike. At Christmas, keeping with the tradition of previous years, the Nation Of Nurses once again adopted dozens of families. Some of these families suffered great losses due to fires, natural disasters, unexpected deaths of loved ones, or having had to suddenly deal with diseases that left them unable to work. Over the past 3 years SMYS has adopted 100 families at Christmas time, helping to ensure that others have a holiday season that is Merry and Bright. SMYS members went above and beyond to embody the spirit of SMYS and Christmas, purchasing all of the gifts for these families who otherwise would not have been able to have Christmas gifts. So many children were able to experience some joy over the past three years thanks to the generosity of SMYS members. We’re so thankful to all of the SMYS members who donated and helped give these families a wonderful holiday season.

Happy Nurses Week from the entire Show Me Your Stethoscope Team!

The Nation of Nurses relaxed on a cruise, gave of themselves in service to others on medical mission trips, and now, when our fellow healthcare professionals need us most, when it is time to care for our colleagues, the Nation of Nurses once again stepped up to answer the call.

After the terrible events of the Las Vegas mass shooting, Nurses and other healthcare professionals, from around the United States, supported front line Nurses and staff by providing meals for those working. Months after the media attention faded, these front line Nurse were still grappling with the stress and emotional trauma of working the mass casualty. Again, SMYS members stepped up and provided a real solution to help them cope by financing a sanctuary room in the hospital. This place was designed by Nurses for Nurses to offer a place for them to rest, decompress, and find tranquility for a few minutes during their often chaotic shifts.

We are so proud of the SMYS Nation of Nurses and their dedication to taking care of each other.

Nursing has long been called a selfless profession, where Nurses care for many ill individuals, nurturing them, comforting them, keeping a watchful eye for complications and acting accordingly. Nurses are there for births, and they are there at deaths. Nurses are there to offer a hug for your joyful moments, and to offer a hug when the moment is filled with grief, anger, confusion. It is said that when someone is going through a storm, your silent presence is more powerful than a million words, and that is often where you find Nurses, standing in the storm with their patients, weathering it with them.

Mahatma Ghandi said that the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Nurses continually give of themselves in the service of others, and the wonderful Show Me Your Stethoscope Nation of Nurses is no exception. Over the past several years, SMYS members, with help from our partners at Healthy Villages, have organized international medical mission trips to provide nursing and medical care to thousands of under served people in Ghana and Haiti. This Nurses Week, and always, we are so proud of these selfless nurses and their dedication to making the world a better place.

SMYS is all about bringing together the Nation of Nurses both online and offline to build a stronger profession of Healthcare Professionals. We love to work hard for our patients, and advocate for our profession, but this Nurses Week we have to remember good self care and take time to relax!

This year SMYS members from around the United States gathered together on a cruise to Costa Maya and Cozumel. After years of connecting with each other online, they spent time together, formed deeper friendships, and bonded over all of the things that only nurses really understand. We’re so excited for the Next SMYS Cruise.

This year more nursing unions joined with their brothers and sisters at NursesTakeDC, the frontline nurse led grassroots movement fighting for safe staffing. The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) was one of the unions rallying in DC and deserves special recognition. Specifically, we’d like to acknowledge MNA president Donna Kelley Williams RN for her tenacious leadership and advocacy in Massachusetts. The MNA leads the fight for ‘safe patient limits’’; a term they developed that perfectly describes what we are fighting for.

Thanks to the tireless push from the MNA, Massachusetts voters will have a ballot question this November 2018 that decides if ‘safe patient limits’ will be written into state law. Nurses overwhelmingly support safe patient limits. However, the voters of Massachusetts will determine if this becomes a law or not. So far the polls suggest that voters will choose ‘yes’ to safe patient limits, but the fight isn’t over yet!

Massachusetts policy is often viewed as forecast of future national policy. This ballot question is monumental as several states have legislation that has been introduced but has yet to reach committee or the house floor for a vote. A win for Massachusetts nurses could tip the scales in the favor of nurses.

We’ve watched the MNA support the nurses of Massachusetts in their fight for safe patient limits. Now it’s time to do more that watch them work. Now we must support the nurses of Massachusetts in their push for safe patient limits in Massachusetts. We must gain public support and momentum to vote ‘yes’ on this ballot question. At SMYS we believe nurses should support nurses; nursing organizations should support each other; and all nurses in all settings, practicing at all levels should support policy that benefits nurses. Leading up to the November vote, we encourage every nurse to support the nurses of Massachusetts in any way they can.

Social media is a powerful tool. Every nurse can help this cause by sharing information about the ballot question online via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. If you live in Massachusetts or one of the neighboring states (Main, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island), please consider showing up in person to support the Massachusetts nurses. A win for safe patient limits in Massachusetts is a win for all nurses and patients.